A shed has hidden qualities that can make it far more than just a place to store tools and bikes.

We discover how the humble shack can be transformed into an idyllic retreat – inspiring you to learn new hobbies, improve family relationships and make money.

Home by the sea: Vicky Gunn - with her dog Millie - at one of her three colourful beach huts in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex

HOW TO BUILD A SOLID SHED

If you simply want somewhere to store garden junk, your local DIY store may be the best port of call. You can buy and construct a shed for as little as £200 – though paying more can represent money well spent.

You could have a stab at building a shed using plans found in books or on the internet.

Practical guidebooks such as the £25 Collins Complete DIY Manual and the £20 Reader’s Digest Complete DIY are great bibles. Useful website sources include WhatShed and DIY Doctor. Plans for building sheds can be found at BetterLiving.org.

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HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP

Richard Fletcher, owner of WhatShed, says: ‘Foundations are key. Without a solid base all your hard work can soon be undone.

‘Concrete is usually the best choice. Dig out some ground and tap down a base of sand and shingle. Use a spirit level when putting down concrete – pour a base two inches below ground level if you want the final base to be level with the surface.’ Richard adds: ‘One of the biggest problems I hear about is people with cheap sheds that are not strong enough.

‘Do not skimp on materials but go for pressure treated wood and heavy gauge roof felt to build a solid shed that should last for many years.’

MY £1,500 LABOUR OF LOVE WON SHED OF THE YEAR

Building an award-winning idyllic retreat at the bottom of the garden need not cost a fortune. It should be seen first and foremost as a labour of love.

Roof thatcher Kevin Herbert spent eight years and £1,500 putting together a luxury shack that recently won the 2016 Shed Of The Year award.

Roof garden: Kevin and Martine outside the shed

He beat off competition from thousands of other entrants in the Cuprinol-sponsored event, winning because of his inventive use of recycled materials and the creation of three separate living spaces within his shed.

Kevin, 42, from Sandhurst in Berkshire, says: ‘The secret to shed making is taking time out to make a bolt-hole that is well away from the rest of the house that everyone can enjoy.

‘It’s about rolling up your sleeves, doing it all yourself and creating something you are proud of.’

Kevin admits he did not pick up a pencil, paper or ruler at any stage.

Labour of love: Kevin Herbert spent eight years building his luxury haven

He simply went outside and got stuck into building – initially looking to construct a shed where his four children could enjoy themselves and he could keep half a dozen hens.

He used pallets and heavy-duty wooden packaging given to him by a friend. He then struck on the idea of using recycled milk cartons – more than 400 of them – as the basis for a garden on the shed’s roof.

Kevin says: ‘The children use the shed to do their homework while I can lock myself away from the rest of the family.

‘It means my wife Martine gets a bit of peace and quiet. Having a place to escape to at the bottom of the garden is great for relationships.’

WHAT ARE THE RULES ON BUILDING A SHED

If you have a patch of garden – even a small one – there is no reason why you cannot fill some of the space with a shed. But before beginning there are a few rules that must be followed.

Anyone who wishes to put a detached building such as a garden shed or summerhouse up in the garden has to follow strict building rules – otherwise they must apply to the local council for planning permission.

If the floor of the building is less than 15 square metres – which is about 160 square feet – then you do not need permission.

In addition, it is vital it contains no sleeping accommodation. It should also be at least a metre (3ft 3ins) away from any boundary wall or fence with a neighbour.

Building rules also state that the height should be no more than 2.5 metres (8ft 2ins) at any point if the shed is within two metres (6ft 6ins) of any boundary.

If the shed is more than 2 metres from a boundary you are allowed a few more inches – up to three metres (9ft 10ins) high if it has a flat roof, or 4 metres (13ft 1in) if it is a ridge roof.

Sheds built of combustible materials such as wood must always be at least 2 metres from a house, according to council guidelines. If you have any doubts then you should contact your local authority for free advice.

For anyone wanting a bigger shed, it is necessary to approach your local council to apply for full planning permission. This may cost £195 and there is no guarantee you will be successful.

I INVESTED IN A BEACH HUT

The beach hut may look like a shed by the seaside – but its heritage can be traced back to bathing machines used to protect the modesty of swimmers.

Wheeled sheds were hired by Victorian bathers who would use them to change into their swimsuits. The carriages would then be drawn by horses down to the edge of the sea to allow women to enjoy a therapeutic dip away from the prying eyes of gentlemen bathers.

In the 20th Century it became acceptable to have mixed bathing and to walk across a beach in a swimming costume – so shelters gradually lost their wheels and the beach hut was born.

The value of these modest huts has soared in recent years as many people have realised the value of having a holiday hide-away by the sea. This is despite the fact they do not have running water or toilets and cannot be slept in overnight.

The record price for a beach hut is £265,000 – paid for one situated on the Mudeford Spit in Dorset.

Vicky Gunn, 37, from Wokingham in Berkshire, owns three beach huts in Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex.

She rents them out from £35 a day through her website Millie’s Beach Huts.

The accountant says: ‘I have always loved the British seaside and a couple of years ago decided to buy some huts.

‘They cost about £10,000 each but needed renovating. Due to the salt air, huts need looking after and I spent between £1,000 and £3,000 getting each of them in top condition. The huts are now worth £15,000 each.’

For family appeal she says it is important they are stocked with games and books for children as well as tea and coffee making facilities – ideal for when the weather takes a turn for the worse. The three huts are all fitted with gas heating.

Vicky says: ‘A beach hut is far more than just a shed. It offers a little bit of home by the sea. It also lets you enjoy some magical moments of the day and year – such as early morning or sunset and the winter when you might otherwise freeze.’

Companies which offer beach huts for sale and rent include Beachhuts4hire and UK Beach Huts.

John Stenson, chairman of the Southend-on-Sea based Beach Hut Owners Association, believes beach huts are an investment that all the family can enjoy.

The 72-year-old, who owns one in the Essex seaside spot with wife Valerie, 72, says: ‘As more people appreciate their appeal, values will go up. Prices in Southend have doubled in the past decade. A hut with veranda can cost up to £40,000.’

WRITE A CLASSIC OR LEARN A NEW HOBBY

A shed is traditionally used for storage, but it can be adapted into a secret hideaway where you can try your hand at writing a book or learning a new hobby.

Children’s author Roald Dahl built a modest 6ft x 7ft hut at the bottom of his garden in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, to escape being disrupted by his children.

Dahl had been inspired by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who was at his creative best working in his shed.

Refuge: Children’s author Roald Dahl often escaped to his shed

Other successful authors who used a shed to write include Virginia Woolf and playwright George Bernard Shaw.

Sheds can also be great places to indulge in a hobby other than writing – perhaps being turned into a workshop.

Robin Sharples, 51, from Rossendale in Lancashire, has given his shed a name – Cowpe Smithy. Having had three kidney transplants since the age of 14, he struggled to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a blacksmith – so he built a shed and forge so he could learn the skills at home.

Robin salvaged corrugated iron from a military surplus dealer – paying just £20 for the heavy-duty metal that had originally been earmarked to shore up trenches in the First World War. He spent £500 on timber and other materials to build the 12 ft square shed in three months.

Robin Sharples, 51, from Rossendale in Lancashire, has given his shed a name

He now uses it to house some of the 150 blacksmith anvils that he has collected over the years. He has also installed a forge that he can heat up to 1,400°C to indulge in his blacksmith craft.

Robin says: ‘I am now able to live my dream. It is a wonderful hobby and the tools are so tactile and have changed little since Roman and Viking times. Having a shed helps inspire you to create.’

He shares the skills he has learned, offering day courses for £135 and selling home-made items such as candle holders.

INSURE THE SHELTER

The contents of your garden shed should be covered by your home insurance – but it is worth checking that cover is sufficient.

Even those who do not use their shed for writing best sellers or exciting new hobbies (see right) will have contents worth on average £1,300, according to home insurer Policy Expert – items such as tools, bikes, barbecues and mowers.

A standard home insurance policy should cover theft of items up to at least £1,000. But unless you lock the shed when it is not in use – and make sure contents are tidied away inside – the insurer might throw out your claim.

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